The Last Victor
by isfpkitten
Summary: Remember when Katniss is watching the recap of the games on victor's night? Remember how she wonders about all the victors who came before her, about how they faced it all alone. Well this is the story of the last person to go it all alone. Last Victor.
1. Chapter 1

My first reaping.

I stare up at the giant glass ball filled with thousands of paper slips. Each one bearing the name of an eligible female tribute from District 2. It's unlikely that whoever enters the games this year will come home alive. Last year's victor was from our district. Our male tribute, Connor something-or-other, made it back. But our female tribute didn't. Alyssa didn't. I can feel the tears coming, but I don't try stopping them anymore, it's better to just let yourself cry. A few other 12 year olds nearby stare at me. I don't care; I don't like any of them anyway. The mayor finally finishes going on about how great Panem is, and how all-powerful the capitol is, and all the other lies. How powerful would the capitol be against an earthquake, or a tsunami? District 2's escort, Tilly… whatever her last name is, plucks a piece of paper from the girls' ball. Relief courses through me, it's not a name I recognize. The girl whose just been called walks to the stage confidently. She's one of the 17 or 18 year olds who would have volunteered if someone younger or incapable, or someone who just didn't want to go was chosen. After the girl introduces herself Tilly crosses the stage and draws a boy's name. The relief comes too soon this time. Even though I've never met the boy whose name was just called I know the boy stepping out of the crowd in the 15 year olds section.

"I volunteer" he shouts up at Tilly.

I stand there for a moment trying to catch my breath, trying to remember how to breathe. I can feel the air being crushed out of my lungs, I can feel myself suffocating. I force my eyes to focus on the boy who's just volunteered to die. I gasp and begin to push through the crowd. The tears are flowing faster now, but I still don't care. I grab his arm just before he mounts the stage.

"No," I manage between sobs "you can't!"

He looks down at me and I search his face for any sign of the boy I knew a year ago. I can't find one. This new person standing here in that boy's place, he scares me. "I already am," his voice is too calm, too controlled to belong to the person I knew. The problem is that if I let this new person walk away I'll lose any chance of ever finding who he used to be.

"She wouldn't want you to," I sob.

His face shows the pain he's trying to hide from the rest of Panem. In that one expression, I see everything I'm looking for.

He wrenches his arm from my grasp and climbs the steps to the stage.

The last thing I hear him whisper almost pushes me over the edge. He's not stupid, thinking he'll make it back when we just had a tribute win last year. He's suicidal.

"She's not here to stop me because we didn't stop her." He blames himself.

Tilly, of course, acts like nothing has happened. I don't move. I just stand there sobbing hysterically. I catch last year's victor, Connor, watching me as I fall to pieces. But no matter what happens I won't let myself break, not again. I won't break, I've already been broken but maybe that just makes me stronger.


	2. Chapter 2

Decisions

I bite my lip as I stand staring at the doors to the massive justice building. Should I go in and say good bye to him or not? Well I definitely _should_. I always say good bye to the tributes. Ever since the year I turned seven I've gone to the justice building to say good bye to the kids being shipped off to the games. Alicia's the only tribute I've ever said good bye to that I already knew before they were reaped. I'm so upset with him I could probably just walk away right now and not even look back. I'd regret it later though. A few months from now when it's certain he's not coming home alive I'll wish I took this last chance to say goodbye when I had it. I sigh and slowly walk towards the large stone doors. The peacekeepers standing guard don't question me. I always come. I decide to visit the girl first, it'll be easier that way, with the less emotional visit first. The girl looks up, surprised, when I enter. She stares at me for a minute in confusion.

"Who are you?" she asks quietly.

I swallow hard "I'm Thalia. I always come to say good bye to the tributes, just so they know that at least… at least one person cares."

Her eyes widen "Thanks," she says, "but I'm not like that I have lots of friends… they're just really busy… don't you have to go say good bye to my competition?"

"Yeah, I do. And… if they're too busy to come, it's their loss." With that I turn for the door, but just before I step out I whisper "Bye, Kathrine," leaving her all alone, waiting for friends who are too selfish to come.

I walk across the hall to the room where he's being held. I open the door and slide in. He looks up and sighs. I walk over and sit next to him on the couch. After a few minutes I decide to break the silence.

I take a deep breath "It's not our fault you know, she made her choice."

"But maybe there was something we could've done. Maybe if we'd just-"

I cut him off "No. It was her decision and she knew the consequences and she made what she felt was the best choice and there is absolutely nothing we could've done or can do that would or will change anything. You need to understand that before… you…" I trail off not wanting to say it out loud.

"Die," he finishes. I bite my lip and nod. "You're my best friend," he whispers "just remember that."

I nod and give him a hug "I'll miss you," I mumble "so much."

I get up and walk out the door, planning on waiting at the train station to wave goodbye as he gets on. I'm not exactly expecting to see anyone I know so it surprises me when I hear someone calling my name. I whip around to find the boy who came home instead of Alicia walking toward me. I wish I could be mad at him, or even hate him. I _should_ hate him. But I just can't hate someone I don't know.

"So, you say goodbye to the tributes every year?" he asks me.

"Yes."

"Wow. That's really nice. So, umm… I just wanted to say thanks. You know, for coming to see me last year, it… it really helped me through." I blink. What?

"Um… you're welcome. I'm… I'm glad I could help." I whisper. I turn and run out of the building before anything else can be said. It's a good thing. That's what I tell myself. He killed the boy who killed Alicia. He's not some overly brutal, sadistic brat like the kid who would've won if he hadn't.

I wave goodbye to my best friend as he boards the train that will take him to the capitol. I go home. I watch. I wait. I'm right. I cry. And my best friend? Tron comes home in a wooden box. The girl from district four, Annie Cresta, goes home wearing the crown.


	3. Chapter 3

Life Goes On

At least that's what I tell myself.

I was right, about not breaking. I watch some girl from district four win the games. She goes crazy halfway through when Tron kills her district partner. I don't fool myself into thinking he'll win when that happens. His mom does though, it's the hardest on her when the dam in the arena breaks and he drowns. Last year she lost her daughter, this year her son. It's a good thing she's got a baby on the way, because if she didn't I'm pretty sure she would have gone crazy by now.

I don't know why I feel so detached when my best friend dies. Maybe because it's happened before, maybe I'm just too worn down from losing sleep to stay up and watch the games. Either way it's a lot different from last year when Alicia died. I freaked. My mom says it's called a nervous breakdown, she swears I'm fine now though. Sometimes I'm not sure if I believe her, but then again she should know, she was raised by a doctor.

I make a new friend. Everyone else I know hates her, but that's only natural. We're the stone masons' kids. We hate the games, we hate the capitol. So no one was really all that happy when Clove started coming around. Her dad works in the military center. Everyone immediately hates her because she's got all the things no one around here will ever have a chance of getting.

She says she's going into the hunger games. She'll wait until she's 18, to give herself a better chance. She says that she'll win the games and move into the Victor's Village and take me with her. I usually don't say much, seeing as I've heard this all before, but there's one thing I'm curious about.

"What about your family? Wouldn't you bring them to the Victor's Village too?" I've never met any of her family before, and she never really says much about them.

"Pfsh. No. Why would I do that? I guess I'd bring my boyfriend if I had one. And you could bring yours too, if you ever decided you wanted one." I haven't really taken much interest in finding a boyfriend. All the guys I know are just annoyingly stupid. It bothers me sometimes, when she talks about people like they're her pets, like she owns them. I get used to it, though. Just like I get used to the fact that I'm one of about 7 people she doesn't treat like dirt. People still like her, though. They still want to be her friend, no matter how mean she gets. Maybe it's not just boys who are stupid.

So time continues to move forward. I go to school, I try (and mostly fail) not to argue with Clove when I catch her terrorizing people, she tries (and mostly fails) to only terrorize) people when I'm not around. I turn thirteen, another reaping, another games, another victor, another set of 23 dead children. I watch the games with Clove; she makes fun of the kids who die. I keep my mouth shut. I turn fourteen, the process repeats itself.

I turn fifteen. And everything changes.

**A.N.: Sorry about how long it takes me to update, I'll try to update faster and make the chapters longer, and that'll be easier when the action starts, I hope. The story becomes SYOT next chapter, because I really don't have the energy to come up with 23 characters, which are going to die anyway. Even though the other tributes will eventually die I still want to focus on them some and tell a little of their stories.**

**Pleeease review, I really want some feedback and constructive criticism. Flames are also welcome, I'm a pyromaniac. ;D**


	4. Chapter 4

Stupidity Killed the Cat

**Disclaimer: I was told that if I didn't include one of these blindingly obvious statements in my fanfic then my story could be removed… I have no idea whether or not this is true so I'll include one just to be on the safe side. I'm obviously NOT Suzanne Collins, and therefore do NOT own the Hunger Games.**

Ugh. I. Am. So. Bored. I hate reapings. We wait… and wait….. and wait….. And then finally we get to listen to the mayor drone on about the Capitol. I think I've already expressed my opinions on how almighty the Capitol is… And then when the mayor finishes _his_ speech we get to listen to the guy from the capitol.

Our old escort retired the year after…. After it happened. And we got the guy from One. He likes to talk a little about how honored he is to be here, and how he's sure everyone of us would make an amazing competitor in the Games.

Too bad that only two of us can compete. Right? Too bad we can only say goodbye to two of our children, probably forever. Too bad they can only transform two of us into murderers. Too bad they can only kill two of us off, force us to die by the hands of other children, kids that we might be friends with in a different lifetime… in a different world.

No, I'm not bitter. What gave you that impression?

Clove stands next to me. Only three more years until she plans to throw her life away. Even if she lives her life won't be her own. There will be no such thing as privacy. Her life will belong to the Capitol.

Our Escort, Umm…. What's his name? I know it, it's…. it's…. some kind of ridiculous capitol name… I know it starts with an A…. Asp… Ask…. Al…. Am…. Ash… I give up. Our escort, whatever his name is, finishes talking and decides that the boys get picked first this year.

"I'm gonna do it." I look over at Clove. Her face is lit up. She looks like she's about to cry. I wouldn't put it past her to be listening while pretending to be looking around, bored, but… Did she actually find him… _inspiring?_

"Just wait. You'll have a better chance if you wait." I whisper back.

She shakes her head. "No, it has to be now. I want to _prove _something! I know I can win this. But I want to do it against the odds. I don't just want to beat the other kids, I want to beat the odds, and the Capitol! I want to be the one they never expected to win! I'll do it for you…" her voice softens "They hurt you… and I'll beat them for it!"

She can't be serious. This can _not_ be happening. Not again. "Clove, you're from _Two._ You could be paralyzed from the waist down and they _still _wouldn't be surprised if you won."

She shakes her head "I'm going for it." She absolutely refuses to see reason.

I don't hear the name of the boy that… whatever his name is, calls, or the name of the one that volunteers to take his place. The next thing I know he's already reaching into the giant, clear ball containing the slips with the girl's names on them.

"Terra Nulkan" He calls. A girl marches to the stage from the back. One of the older kids who would volunteer anyway if they weren't called. She glares at everyone as she passes, trying to look intimidating in the hopes that nobody will dare volunteer and steal her chance at glory, or her chance at a very slow, torturous death, whichever comes first.

I glance over at Clove. Her shoulders are squared and she looks determined. Damn it. I can't do this, not again. I'd be okay, I've watched enough of my friends die to not shatter into a million pieces if she loses but it won't be good for me either. I'll probably turn into one of those emotionless robots.

Our escort has finished introducing Terra, there's no more time to think. Clove takes a deep breath, stepping forward just a little, getting ready.

"Do we have any volunteers?" The last thing I notice before I completely lose all of my self-control is how white his teeth are, the purest white I've ever seen.

"I volunteer." But the voice isn't Clove's…. It's mine.

"Excellent, come on up." He smiles again.

Clove stares at me, shocked. I've never expressed any desires to be a tribute to the games, quite the opposite. I make my way to the stage. I smile. I shake hands with our- no _my_ escort. I shake hands with the boy who will have to die if I'm going to survive. And I think to myself that this, which from one point of view could be considered volunteering myself to be slaughtered, is probably the most selfish thing I've ever done in my entire life.

**A.N.: So… how's it going. Yes, I know it's been like, forever since I last updated. No, I honestly don't really have that good of an excuse. SORRY! But, sometimes I feel like nobody is even reading this. So, I skipped all the character development and background and kind of plunged right into the plot, I just didn't like what I had done with the story so far… **

**Guess what today is? My Birthday! I turned 14 years old at 5:10 this morning…. I really hope none of you guys are stalkers…. So review, pretty, pretty please. For my birthday? I promise if I get 2 reviews with actual feedback I'll have the next chapter up by Tuesday (U.S. east coast time zone) As always flames are welcome, seeing as I'm a pyromaniac. **


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